Improvement in movable dams



3. cuLE. Movable Da'ms.

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%nese THE G PHIO PHOTO UTM 3941 PARK UNITED STATES BARZILLAI COTTLE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOVABLE DAMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153.424, dated July 28, 1874 application filed March 30, 1874.

To all whom fit 'may concern:

Be it known that I, BARZILLAI GoTTLn, of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented an Improvement in Movable Floating Dams for Rivers and Estuaries 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being .had to the accompanying' drawings and to the letters marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing back Ot' dam. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing front of dani. Fig. 3 is an end section.

My invention consists of a movable curved apron, curved inwardly, and hinged or attached to piling at either side of the channel by chains, cables, or anchors, andy placed at right angles or in a diagonal position from wall to wall, or pile to pile7 for tidewater mills, wing-dams, or rivers. to concentrate the channel oi' streams into a narrow space, in order to cut out the channels of said rivers or estuaries when the ebbing of the tides takes place, without the aid oi' dredgingmachines, as will hereinafterinore t'ully appear.

In the drawings, A represents the bank ot a river, with two piles, B, to which my dam is attached. The apron or dam C is constructed of narrow strips of boards,with an inward curvature at an angle of about forty-tive degrees from its longitudinal center. Above this point it is nearly vertical, so that at the commencement of the outward or downward flow of the tide or current the apron will be forced downward by the weight ofthe water, and beheld in that position. When walls are constructed at both sides of the estuary the apron may be attached to said walls, but a succession of piles will be necessary when it is constructed in sections, so as to have a greater resisting force, and anchors or cables may be used above the apron to hold itin place. Slices D are attached to the bottom of the dam, at right angles to it, to prevent it sinking into the mud. The joints, outer edges, and toe are provided with tlaps of canvas, E, or other exible material, so as to arrest any unnecessary tlow of water beneath or at the sides of the apron. This dam may be placed in sections or lengths of about thirty feet, so as to dam or concentrate the waters of a channel of any width required.

By this device reservoirs of water can be formed for milling, or the apron raised when the tide has ebbed and left a large body oi' water in reserve above the dam, so that the channel may be cut out by its escape.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the dam C, adapted to be held down by the pressure of the water, with the piles B and the connecting-chains.

2. The shoes l) at the bottom or toe of the dam, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the dam C with the flexible flaps E, as described.

In witness whereoi` I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

BARZILLAI COTTLE.

Vitnesses:

C. W. M. SMITH, SAML. B. MARTIN. 

